Type workshop 5

Construction of grids

• Before you can apply a grid you must understand the requirement of the the grid for the work to be produced. 
• Typeface, text and illustrations, print method and paper quality must be confirmed before hand. 
• Always start with small sketches...
• Thumbnail sketches will make your job of final layouts easier and productive. 
• Before drawing sketches, consider the number of columns you need.

For example...
1 column only for text and illustration gives little freedom of layout.
Restriction of making illustrations small, medium or large.

2 columns logically give you more scope:
1 column for text
1 column for illustration

Mix together

Three columns

• Opportunities for arranging and accondodating text and illustrations in numerous sizes.
• You could also subdivide the 3 column grid into a 6 column arrangement. 

Disadvantages of 6 column systems

lines of text are narrow, small typeface will have to be used.

BUT

This solely rests on the function that is to be performed. 

For statistics, figures, graphs and trend line publications. 

The rule:

The width of a column dictates the size of the typeface used. 

The narrower a column is, the smaller the typeface.

Why is that?

Thumbnails

make a variety of thumbnails of layouts/designs

Do not rely on one set of thumbnails

Enlarge a small selection of appropriate thumbnails by 1:1

Apply type to columns

• The first line must fit flush to the top limit of the column grid
• The last line must stand on the bottom limit
• Keep calm, takes time to get right

Font heights

Example...

caption text, 4 point type, 6 point leading

Header and footer, 7 point type, 10 point leading

Type and picture

8 field grid

two columns X four rows 

20 field grid- 42 possible layout options

What is good//Rationale

The brief

Through packaging and promotion and branding and identity, encourage knitting as a productive hobby in the student environment. Targeting at women in particular create a concept that will change the way they perceive the craft and open up a evolving brand. 

Background

Knitting is a intricate craft that is not promoted in a student environment. Their are a lot of stereotypes attached to the craft, the younger generation see it as a dated hobby and therefore not appealing to do themselves. This perspective it want is trying to be changed. Knitting has many unique and useful elements and these need to be addressed.    

Considerations

Need to consider how to make the hobby appealing to this audience and the how it will be packaged. Need to consider what kind of products students want to knit and why it will be useful to them. Take into account the colour scheme, logo and overall aesthetics. 

Target audience

Women students who want a creative outlet and eager to learn a new craft. Students at university wanting to invest time into a craft and save money buying knitted products. The key is to promote the knitting as something productive and time worthy. 

Tone of voice

Want to encourage the hobby in a educational and creative way. The end results need to inform the skills needed in a simple and fun direction. The aesthetics will communicate this tone of voice. 

What is good//Board feedback

• Good balance between text and image
• Use the grids
• Good consistency between the boards
• Formats could be developed further
• Spacing between images could be more consistant
• Relevant imagery
• Good amount of text
• Boards are numbered
• 'A range of good' board paragraph at the top could follow the width of the photo grid. 
• Right amount of written information
• Very clear boards

Overall the feedback was positive and helpful in areas that weren't so strong. The main thing that needs improving is the spacing with the images.

What is good//Lists

5 words that sums up good
1. Craft
2. Material
3. Process
4. Unique
5. Time

5 words that sum up the target audience
1. Commuters
2. Young women
3. Creative
4. Students
5. Thrifty

5 words that sum up the tone of voice
1. Educational
2. Cheap
3. Creative
4. Instructional
5. Portable

5 products
1. Publication or magazine
2. A kit box
3. Installation
4. An app
5. Leaflet

5 Processes
1. Lasercutting
2. Embossing
3. Sewing
4. Binding
5. Spot varnish 

What is good//Presentation boards

Responsive//Batiste//Development

Digital visuals

On paper the concept has been discovered, it is now time to take this onto the computer and see what can be created. The first thing to do is to trace the hair illustration on Illustrator using the pen tool. 

The lines are meant to form the shape of the left corner of the bottle. 

To experiment with bring the trend patterns onto the product, the flat image was set as the background to the bottle. In this case it was the aztec patter. I'm not too sure how I feel about this aesthetic as it looks too cluttered. I wanted more white space as this will make it look more sophisticated and chic. However, the monochromatic pattern actually looks okay. This may because of the black and white colour scheme. 

Here, just a section of the pattern has been applied to the bottle, in the bottom right hand corner. I still don't think this is the aesthetic I am look for. 

The two designs above show the old design overlapped with the hair ilustration. This was purely to see if it would look to cluttered and I think it is sill lacking sophistication and simplicity. 

Responsive//Batiste//Concept 2

Development

The previous design for this brief was mainly focused on the trends. However the brief states that the bottle needs to communicate the product as well as be fashion led. So taking this element into account, here are some quick sketches of how mixing the two ideas could look. 

The concept is for the trend pattern to sit as the background of the bottle layered by this line hair illustration. Obviously, the sketches are in black and white however the idea is that the background stands out in colour against the flowing hair. 

Type workshop 4//Task

Creating a double page spread

Layout 1

Using the canon here is the development of a simple layout. The typeface used for the header is 'Tahoma' and the body copy text is 'Gill sans light'.

As the name is quite long it would be proportionally better if it sat on two lines especially as it is a bold header. As the name is aligned to the left and takes up roughly half the page, it made sense to also align the content paragraph to left. The typeface looked better in a dark grey as the black was too strong and distracted from the photo. 

As the typeface is faded, their needed to be a balance of colour between the image and type. So using photoshop the image colour levels were adjusted to give a washed out aesthetic. 

This is what the final double page would look like. It is quite clean looking and not too much content overloading the page. 

Layout 2

To experiment with layout, another double page spread was produced using the same content but different grid. 

Placing the image in a square and the title framing this really helped it to stand out and be the focal point of the page. It is still very simple and easy to read but their is something different to it than the normal layout. 

Type Workshop 4

Cannons

Va de graaf

• A gridded page is like scaffolding for a building
• It is a structure that elements can be organised
• The canon is a historical reconstruction method that may have been used in book design to divide a page in pleasing proportions 
• The cannon is also known as the 'secret cannon' 
• The construction of Van De Graaf's canon works for any page width: height ratio. 

Jan Tschichold's canon of medieval manuscript layout with 2:3 pages and text area 1:phi and margins 1:1:2:3, approximately. Created by modifying Jossi's Image:Medieval manuscript framework. On the right is Octavo format. 

Using Indesign, creating a canon 

Making a grid

Leading

• column width is more than just design or format.
• It is also based on legibility.
• Printed collateral (text) is read by the eye of a distnce of 30-35cm.
• According to empirical rule there should be 7 lines per line for a text of any length. 
• Overlong text lines tire the eye, as does short lines. 
• Readers find overlong lines strenuous to read.
• This is because too much energy is spent keeping the horizontal line in sight over long distance. 
• Wrong column widths leas to a waste of time and energy. 
• The key is ease of reading.
• The text must not impair the rhythm of the reading. 

Margin proportions

• Influence that overall feel of the page.
• Too small- looks over full.
• Too large- Exaggeration.
• Well balanced margins on the side, head and tail can create an agreeable impression. 

Type Workshop 3

Fibonacci sequence

• Sequence ratio 8:13 links to Golden section
• This sequence is not only evident within design but also nature 
• The human face follows the ratio and we find people whose faces are tuer to the ratio more attractive. 
• Classic Renaissance
• A series of numbers in which each number is the sums of two processing numbers. 
• 55 point title should be complimented with 34 point body copy by applying Fibonacci's sequence. 

Golden Section

• 1.62 is the golden number
• Forms the basis of paper sizes and its principles can be uses a means of achieving balanced designs. 
• It is also known as the golden rectangle
• 56cm (page width) divide by 1.62= 34.56 (round off to 35) 

Rules of thirds

• The concept of the golden ration can be simplified.
• The rule of thirds governs the placement of points of interest.

What is good//List of things to research

5 Things I don't know about creating my objects
1. How to bind a book with a professional finish?
2. How much it it would cost to create a hard-back book?
3. How to use spot colours and spot varnish?
4. How to produce a publication that is cost effective and mass produced, therefore which format is best?
5. How long would it take to make a hard-back book?

5 Processes to find out about
1. How to lasercut more intricate designs and with different materials.
2. How to bind books with different techniques which is most appropriate for the design.
3. Embossing and debossing, which stocks bring out this process.
4. How de-cutting can be used to improve more innovative ideas.
5. Spot colours and varnish, how to use them best in design, how do they work with different stocks.

Analysis of one product: cocktail poster

Bad things
1. It isn't very portable as it is so big, therefore it needs to be displayed on a wall to read it. 
2. Could use a more interactive and exciting format.
3. Could experiment with different finished, processes and alternative stock.

Good things
1. It's easy to produce, fits the A-size paper format therefore it can be done quickly.
2. Like the fact that it is using info graphics as a way to display instructions.
3. Can be a piece of design in itself, can be put in your room, in a bar, something you keep rather than being disposable.
4. It is light-hearted and fun. 

Task for next session:

Research into chosen 'good' by beginning with one of these...

• A brief history of...
• A collection of...
• An intro into...
• Things to know about...
• An exhibition of...

What is good//Product Analysis

GROUP PRODUCTS

Think about:

• Target Audience. 
• How people interact.
• Stock.
• Special Production

Magazine : Hypebeast

• Glossy stock.
• Audience can intereact with the photography and the image.
• Would find it in high end fashion shops.

Clothing Tag

• Been die cut.
• Would be found in clothes stores 
• Stock is a heavy card. Some gloss used too.
• Audience will interact by looking at price and information about this product.

Oasis Tag

• Been die cut
• Made from a durable stock so is hard wearing, won't fit easily.
• Stock is also quite glossy, possible been laminated.

Shoe box for asics

• Hard stock so it is hard wearing.
• Easily can be transported.
• Easy to open and use contents inside.
• Most importantly its cheap and reusable. 
• Its venerable.
• Box has been die cut and die stamped.

Chanel Business Card

• Card has been embossed.
• Printed on a nice textured, thick stock.
• Audience will be high end successful people. 
• Conventional shape to fit in pocket, wallet etc
• Would be found at fashion shows ect.
• Easy to store

Top Shop Makeup Flyer

• Audience, female and trendy, people interested in fashion.
• High street.
• Would be found in store or in a magazine.
• Student pack, freshers fair. 
• You can read it, take advice from it, put it on your wall. 
• Cheap stock Process put it has got foiling. 

Richard James Invitation

• Very thick stock, makes it seem expensive and professional.
• Been printed with a stock colour
• Text had been de-bossed slightly.

Topshop handout/ Promotional

• For customers and a young female audience 
• Would be found in store, freshers fairs.
• Dj Sets.
• Could be found through the post. 
• Read it to find out about what it is selling.
• Pin it up on your wall. 
• Stock is a nice grainy cheap card. 
• It has been foiled, and die cut. 

Label for jeans

• Found on the item, found in Topshop.
• People read it to find out size and cleaning instructions
• Stock is a transparent, fabric that is sturdy and not likely to break. 
• It has also been stitched.
• We all agree it has been printed very cheaply. 

Label for Moto

• Found on products from Moto.
• Stock is a off white card, sturdy, not likely to rip or break. 

Jewellery Packaging

• Found in store and can be posted.
• Easy to open. 
• Can be de-constructed.
• Stock is a textured, thick card.
• Net seem quite complicated.
• Easily opened to get to whats inside. 
• Been die cut, stamped and sticked.

Card Holder

• Found in people housed, on a desk 
• Found in card shops and craft fairs, exhibitions.
• People interact by placing their card on it.
• Fun and playful product.
• Stock is a strong card so it can stand up and support cards
• Stock looks foiled but is just a glossy card.
• Has been die cut.

Book

• Find it in a book shop, in your home, in a office, in a deign studio.
• People read it and can rip pages out to stick up.
• Can be scanned in.
• A lot of imagery through out the book so an easy read and can be easily understood.
• The front has been embossed.
• The book has been perfectly bound with glue.

Post Card Holder

• Would be found in craft shops. 
• Flat so can be easily stored and transported. 
• Can be interacted by being opened and closed. Cards can be easily stored.
• Stock is a simple card, looks very similar to card board.
• Gives the idea it is environmentally friendly. 

A4 Folder

• Found in stationary shop, offices, schools, studios.
• Good for organisation of documents.
• Easy to carry and store. 
• Stock is a simple brown card. Very durable, not likely to damage easily.
• Spot Varnish. Die cut. Flat Pack.

What is good//Chosen products

1. Owl card holder

This card holder is a clever way of giving someone was personal message. It is a novelty object as the finish is glossy and gold. The net is quite complex but can be put together simply by folding it up. The product is well thought through. It can even stand up on its own as the consideration of stock and balance has be taken on board. 

2. Pattern book

This Mike Perry's book of patterns is full of keep sake illustrations. It is the type book that you can read over and over again and take advice from. It is lovely to look out and a capital piece on a designers bookshelf. The front cover has embossed elements to it which gives it a specialty aesthetic.The stock inside is thin card with a textured finish. It looks like it would be expensive to make. 

3. 'Oh deer' look book

This look book is an A5 landcape publication promoting the illustrators 'Oh Deer'. It was received at a trade show therefore it was free. You can sort of tell by the stock that it has been done cheaply but not in a tacky way. The aesthetics really communicate the brand and are eye-catching to a client. The book isn't overloaded with information which again is a good way to draw an audience in to a product. 

4. Postcard holder

This postcard holder is made out of brown card supported by a back cover made out of cardboard. The net is pretty simple and follows the shape and size of a generic postcard. The thing special about the product is the stock, it gives a sense of environment and natural resources. It is also quite a different way of selling postcards. Giving them a sleeve makes people more inclined to buy more. 

Type Task//Fibonacci Sequence

Applying this sequence to paper size:

Responsive//Creative Partners//Responsibilities

Roles In Research

Before we start designing as a team we both need to get a breadth of research within the topic area to improve our knowledge. This will hopefully improve our design approach to the brief. 

Emily's roles

• Existing brands
• What is available to us
• Bottle shapes
• The market

Imogen's roles

• The brand
• Perfume
• Topic scents
• Unisex

Responsive//Creative Partners//Workshop 1

Ten things agreed on

• Time management
• Contribution
• Strong concept
• Creativity
• Products range
• Winning
• Focussing on creative interests
• Specific roles
• Motivation/enthusiasm
• Different design interest 

10 things that are different

• Design styles
• Thought processes
• Research 
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Insights
• Organisation skills
• Likes
• Disklikes
• Work ethic
• Design skills; software, craft

Benefits

• Learning new skill set
• Use your partners skills
• Concept ideas from two perspectives 
• You can always blame someone else
• Confidence to take risks
• Professional personal integrity
• Joint responsibility
• Shared workload

Problems

• Disagreements
• Style/Design decisions
• Money
• Workload in brief 
• Broader practice 
• Compromise 
• poor communication